Craig Ruvere

15Jan 2017 by CJ

Animal rights – a new day has come

Life & Living

“The assumption that animals are without rights and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality.” ― Arthur Schopenhauer, The Basis of Morality When I was a little boy, my grandparents took me to see Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. From what I remember, it was part of my birthday present that year. I still recall riding in the back seat of the car filled with excitement. Soon, I had a carton of popcorn in one hand and a bag of cotton candy in the other. As we made our way to our seats, I was awe struck at how many children were just as excited, just as anxious…

09Jan 2017 by CJ

Failure is not an option unless you allow yourself to do so

Life & Living

“There is no failure except in no longer trying.” - Chris Bradford Writing this blog is not the only writing I do during any given week. For many years, I’ve been determined to write a novel or screenplay. As anyone who’s tried to create either will tell you, even highly prolific writers, it’s no easy task. For starters, with a full-time job and a long commute, the last thing I want to do after a long day is focus on the creative writing process. But what I find most difficult is solidifying a compelling storyline and not losing interest along the way. I’m not at a loss for ideas, believe me, just look at the stack of notebooks in my desk drawer. But after numerous attempts and failures, I found myself trying…

04Jan 2017 by CJ

Thank yous – a worthy project we all could undertake

Generosity & Kindness

I recently stumbled upon a book entitled 365 Thank Yous – The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life by John Kralik. As with so many of us, John’s life didn’t play out exactly as he planned. Now in his early 50’s, every facet of his life was crumbling around him from his career, to his finances to the relationships he once fostered with family and friends. Lost in a state of hopelessness, John went for a walk one New Year’s Day. It was during that time when he realized he needed to stop focusing on what he didn’t have and instead find some way to be grateful for all that he did. His solution was to acknowledge all the acts of kindness he received with a…

29Dec 2016 by CJ

The year 2016 wasn’t as bad as we think

Life & Living

The year 2016 is coming to a close. Countless posts on social media have revealed that many plan on “flipping the bird” to the outgoing year at 11:59 PM on December 31st. Why you might ask? Because they feel it was a year of disappointment, hate, violence and despair. It was a year when American’s lost all hope. Sorry to rain on your pity parade, but the only way hope can ever be abolished from our lives is if you allow yourself to kill it. Hope is something that lives in all of us and should never be so easily cast aside like many Americans have done. Marianne Williamson once said, “We can always choose to perceive things differently. We can focus on what’s wrong in our life, or we…

26Dec 2016 by CJ

Being taken for granted is tiring even for good people

Generosity & Kindness

“If they don't appreciate your presence, perhaps you should try giving them your absence.” - Tinku Razoria The year 2016 is coming to a close. As is customary, I often find myself pondering the challenges and discoveries of the last twelve months. Today, as I sit here writing this post, I find myself reflecting on the people of 2016. Most notably, those selfless individuals who continually find themselves on the receiving end of being taken for granted. Some might argue that those who find themselves in such circumstances are in fact the ones to blame. That their good-natured, compassionate behavior is often the reason why they’re exploited by those who are more self-serving. My grandmother was a wonderful person – raised to be caring, selfless and available to offer assistance to…